Making Choices
by Shiroi Ai
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo stood in front of her, a Zanpakuto in one hand and the other shielded the teal-haired child from her view. GrimmIchi implied MPREG
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer : Not Mine.

Warnings: perhaps spoilers for the Hueco Mundo Arc, yaoi/BL, GrimmIchi, implied MPREG

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It all started without warning.

The young child's mind found it difficult to understand what was happening to his home. The hall whose pristine white walls which he used to scribble all over, earning disapproving looks from his uncles was being blasted through left and right. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest, it seemed as if it would beat right out it, leaving a hole in its place. The boy carefully peered his head around the corner as a few thunderous roars preceded the oncoming assault. Figures clad entirely in black rushed through the destroyed walls, making no note of the crumbling plaster as they filled into the halls. It was an alien sight to those golden eyes wide with fear and yet a little bit of curiosity as they have become accustomed to the usual white scenery.

The boy watched frozen in place as the servant guards of the palace appear in response to the number of intruders invading his home. His basic instinct tells him to flee for safety but a deeper part of him hungers for the fight, urging him to join in the battle. The sound of clashing steel resounded in his ears, reminding him of the time when he watched his uncles occasionally spar. However as he heard the horrible pained screeching of the guards, he knew that this was not a fighting exercise conjured up for training. As the realization that the palace guards were steadily losing the battle against the odd techniques of the invaders' swords set in, the fear in him grew and took over as the boy turned around and ran.

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Kuchiki Rukia gripped the scabbard of her Zanpakuto tightly as the mass fighting went on before her eyes, her lips pursed into a thin line and a light frown marred her forehead.

Five years.

It had taken five years for them to regroup and find the opportunity to fight back against Aizen and his army. The time that had passed since that failure of a day was spent in gathering information and readying troops in preparation for a final battle here in Hueco Mundo. Her eyes closed almost automatically as flashes of the botched attempt to rescue Inoue flitted through her mind bringing on old feelings of guilt. Indeed if anyone asked her for a formal report, she would have to say that the rescue was in fact a success, that Inoue Orihime was brought back safely from the clutches of the former Shinigami captain. However the price of that success was too high. They had lost one of their most precious comrades, a certain orange haired boy. Inoue had cried for days, drowning in her own tears and guilt and Rukia would have comforted her if not of her own desire to drown along with the grieving girl.

Hardened eyes flashed back open as she dodged to her right, avoiding the thrust of the blade that would have pierced through heart. With a quick slash of her Zanpakuto, her attacker went down swiftly and the Shinigami shifted her gaze back to the battlefield. So far only low level Numeros were engaging in the battle against the Gotei 13, giving them an obvious upper hand. Mere servants she assumed. The 13 squads led by their individual captains were gradually pushing them back but Rukia knew it was only a matter of time before the higher ranked Arrancar joined in. The Espada, ranked from ten to one, they were the true fighting force to be reckoned with. And Rukia hated them all. Spending those five years, training from dawn to dusk like a person possessed, her only goal was to defeat the bastards that murdered her friend.

She slashed through the another Numero who decided that she looked like fair game and then another and another. It was during her mindless slaying when a familiar spike of reiatsu brushed through her senses. It alarmed her to a standstill, her body tense and her eyes searching. It had been brief and though the familiar identity of the reiatsu came through, Rukia knew this one was different, weaker and full of unbridled fear. And as the Shinigami honed her senses to search among the mass of bodies, the strength of the reiatsu grew farther in distance as if the source was moving away. Her body reacted instinctively, abandoning the battle field to pursue a fleeting suspicion.

Rukia raced towards the source, following it through a maze of hallways and corridors that all look the same. She briefly thought of the person who designed the interior of this place and muttered a quick curse when thinking of finding her way back. Her target seemed anxious but familiar with the passageways, making abrupt turns every now and then, the pace however slowing little by little. Though the target seemed to be unaware of someone tailing its back, Rukia did not take any chances and chose to remain a few paces behind in case of an ambushed attack. Coming to halt around a corner, the Shinigami paused for a moment before slowly peeking around the edge.

Looking at the source of the reiatsu for the first time, Rukia was mildly surprised that a child no older than ten stood in her view. The child's teal coloured hair flew around his young face, paying her no heed as he began knocking the door in front of him frantically. The boy seemed human and she wondered if he was a prisoner, taken captive from the human world and looking for help to return home. Wanting to help but still feeling cautious, she edged slowly towards the child, startled however as he started to shout.

"Mama, open the door! The palace...black people...attack us! Yuki...scared. Please open!"

Between the knocks and the desperate shouts, Rukia was approaching closer to the boy, ready to grab him from behind to calm him down and perhaps question him of his situation in this desolate home of the Hollows. She barely had the time however to react when the door opened all of a sudden and the boy seemingly disappeared from her view. She barely had the time, her hands moving to the hilt of her sword and drawing it, just as a swift and heavy blow hit her blade with a decisive clank of steel against steel. And as she summoned the energy to push her attacker off her, she barely had the time to gasp in disbelief.

Clad in the pure white uniform of the Arrancar, stood Kurosaki Ichigo with a thin Zanpakuto in his hand, staring at her with harsh murderous eyes.

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Ok Note:

So I started this new story because I can't get it out of my mind. I read a lot of wonderful stories here and it got me thinking of my own. And bear in mind, I haven't written a story for about 2 years? My other readers are just gonna kill me for not updating my older fics. But sorry about that, I've just lost interest in those. And this story would probably be updated very slow as well...so I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer : Not Mine.

Warnings: perhaps spoilers for the Hueco Mundo Arc, yaoi/BL, GrimmIchi, implied MPREG

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The morning day had found Ichigo laying on his bed, his orange hair mussed up and all over the place. It was one of those lazy Sundays that he was looking forward to spend his whole day lounging around doing nothing. With good reason of course. The night before had been filled with vigorous activity. Ichigo made a mental note to kill a certain someone when a dull pain shot up his back as he moved over the edge of the bed. Too bad that certain someone had left early for a mission and Ichigo wouldn't be seeing him for a week at least. Muttering curses all the way to the bathroom that was conjoined to his bedroom quarters, he picked up his clothes which had been strewn all over the floor along the way, with some difficulty. He quickly went through his morning cleanup and put on his standard white uniform. The young man paused to wonder about the code of dressing in the palace and decided not to think too much of it. No matter how odd it was that he had five sets of the same uniform and that he was pretty sure it was the same with everybody else in the palace. His random musing was brought to a halt however when he heard some abrupt footsteps approaching the room.

The next thing he knew, there were frantic knocks on his door and his senses peaked in alarm as he heard loud distressed calls from beyond. Moving in a speed he didn't realize he could, Ichigo swept up his katana from the side of the armchair where he had last placed it and rushed to unlock the door that lead into his private quarters. He grew anxious with each passing second as he realized the presence of another unfamiliar reiatsu knowing that it had to be strong and near enough that even his weak sensing abilities could pick up. Feeling the stranger approaching ever so closely, Ichigo's right hand went to his Zanpakuto and unsheathed it automatically while his other free one reached for the door knob and turned.

The white wooden door swung inwards and the teal-haired child that stood in front of him had only the barest of moments to steady himself before Ichigo grabbed his pale hands hastily and practically flung the boy behind him, effectively shielding him with his body. The young boy was too inexperienced and must have been too frightened to even notice that he had been followed. Ichigo barely registered the form of the boy's pursuer; a small-statured woman with dark hair and dressed in a black garment similar to his uniform, who stood just inches from where the child was originally standing. Guided by instinct and adrenaline, the hand tightly gripping his Zanpakuto swung down hard towards the woman who reacted just in time by withdrawing a katana of her own. Ichigo moved forwards to push the stranger back with his Zanpakuto but a sudden burst of energy from the woman forced him off of her. Gaining back his footing, his body slipped back tensely into his battle stance as he faced off with his opponent. His worry and anxiety evolved into harsh anger at the woman who looked like a highly potential threat to the child he was shielding behind him.

"Yuki. Are you all right?" Ichigo chanced a quick glance at the boy with concern, his eyes never truly leaving the stranger in front of him. The woman sported a look of shock, at what he did not know but nevertheless, he did not drop his guard. He slowly inched backwards away from her, eager to put as much distance between Yuki and the woman as possible. A small choked whimper came from behind and he could see that the child was fine, putting up a brave front even though he was probably scared to death. Ichigo's lips upturned into a little smile to encourage him, also heartened by the thought of how similar the child was to his father, always too stubborn to back down in front of an enemy. On those rare occasions when he was brought along on a mission to the human world, he was never allowed to interfere. Somehow that stubborn mule always came out victorious against his enemies in the end.

Turning back his full attention to the dark-haired woman before him, Ichigo told the boy firmly not to leave his side. He held his katana unwaveringly in his hand as he glared at her and demanded,

"Who the hell are you?"

Kuchiki Rukia stood there stunned as her eyes first set on the figure in front of her. Every single one of his features was the same. The madly orange hair that always looked like a mess stood out like a beacon in a dark room. The trademark scowl and furrowed brow that seemed to be ever present on that youthful face was all familiar to her. The glare that was directed at her now, she had seen many times before when he battled various enemies in the past. It was for the sake of protecting the ones that are precious to him, going back even to that fateful night when she had transfered her power to him to fight off the Hollow that threatened his family. There were subtle differences however, like the pure white uniform that hung to his lithe frame and the bite-like scar that crept up sightly at the base of his neck on the right.

Even though, there was no mistaking it. Kurosaki Ichigo stood in front of her, a Zanpakuto in one hand and the other shielded the teal-haired child from her view. Rukia's hold on her own katana loosened a fraction as her heart skipped a beat. Could it be possible, that Ichigo was still alive? Flashes of a pale face, opened eyes that were frozen in death, the river of crimson blood that flowed from his forehead, all came rushing to her. Those visions were quickly replaced with flashes of a glass capsule filled with red liquid and two floating masks. She remembered the Espada she had fought those years ago during the rescue mission. Aaroniero Arruruerie had turned into her ex-lieutenant wearing his face and acting the part, and her hesitation had almost cost Rukia her life.

Eyes hardened, Rukia regained pressure on her grip, holding her Zanpakuto firm and ready for attack. She would not make the same mistake again. The impostor would fall by her blade for the mere sin of using her dead friend's visage. It was an insult to Ichigo's honour that she would not stand for.

"Kuchiki Rukia. Shinigami of the 13th Division." She answered vehemently. "And you? Damn Arrancar. I wish to know the name of the person I'm going to kill."

The orange-haired youth became more tense at the sound of the venom in her voice, his body geared up to respond in the slightest second now that she had made her intentions clear. Rukia smirked, it was good to let the enemy sweat a little at her threat.

"Ichigo." Came the cautious reply and it was all it took for the Shinigami to launch herself at him.

"Liar!" She screamed as she brought her Zanpakuto down towards the Arrancar who even dared to use Ichigo's name. "Give me your real name you bastard!" She demanded, her strikes going so fast and hard that the impostor could only hold up his katana in defense. The hallway echoed with the sound of the clashing steel and their fight was progressively moving towards a wider area which looked like an indoor garden. There were weird looking plants of all shapes and sizes, some as tall as the ceiling while some looked like roses only that they have rows of sharp-looking teeth. However, Rukia paid them no heed even as they trashed around the plants, slicing through many of them as she battled it out with the white clad boy.

"That is my real name, you stupid Shinigami!" Ichigo retaliated frustratedly, trying to keep up with the woman's attacks. He could not understand what her problem was calling him a liar. He gave a thrust of his Zanpakuto at the chance of an opening but it was quickly blocked by the Shinigami. A trickle of sweat flowed down the side of his face as he began to pant slightly. Rukia's greater reiatsu was beginning to smother him slowly but surely. He had always been weak due to the seal Aizen had placed on him but did not mind it as much as he did now. It would have given him a better fighting chance had it been removed even though it would have meant shortening his life. A flash of teal reminded him of Yuki's presence as he spotted him hiding behind one of the trees that managed to grow in this desert like environment of the garden. As concerned as he was for Yuki's safety, he trusted the child to keep himself at a safe distance away from the fight. He could not afford to divert his attention from his opponent.

The Shinigami stood to his right, pausing in a brief reprieve and Ichigo took the moment to access his situation. It was not looking good for him for he had sported several wounds that were seeping crimson onto his white clothes while the other was relatively clean with a few scratches here and there. Ichigo knew he had to finish the fight soon, dragging it out longer would mean a sure defeat. Focusing his spiritual energy to the tip of his fingers, he aimed the developing red mass of light at the Shinigami and fired, hoping it would catch her by surprise.

Rukia saw the Cero coming her way in a desperate speed. Her hand went to her Zanpakuto in ritual habit as she shouted out the incantation to release her blade.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

At those words, the standard looking katana turned completely white and a ribbon formed at the end of the hilt of the Zanpakuto.

"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren!" A massive wave of ice appeared from Sode no Shirayuki's blade completely negating the Cero and headed on towards the origin of the Cero attack. The floor turned a transparent blue as the ice traveled along its path and to Rukia's surprise, actually hitting its mark. She had thought that her opponent had ample time to avoid the attack since she had fired it initially just to block the Cero. There was a groan of pain as the Arrancar fell to his knees, clutching the half frozen arm that was holding his Zanpakuto. It was only when she heard a cry of alarm, that she realized the reason why he had not moved away from the oncoming ice. The teal-haired child she had initially followed appeared from behind, looking very distressed at the state of the youth. Rukia had completely forgotten about the young boy. Curious to the thought that an Arrancar would protect another-human or not- to the point of self-injury, Rukia stepped forward cautiously towards her injured opponent.

Sensing her approach, the child turned his attention to her, his arms widespread as he stood in front of the fallen Arrancar. Rukia heard the start of a slight noise and then realized that the young boy was actually hissing at her. His hair bristled and his teeth bared, the boy looked like an angry little kitten on the verge of clawing her to death. When she was within an arm's reach, he was readying himself to jump at her but a hand reached around his waist and held him down. Rukia watched as the man who called himself Ichigo hugged the boy to his chest protectively and panted out hoarsely.

"Leave my son out of this."

Before Rukia could give a proper reply, another Cero was blasted at her and she managed dodged the attack just in time. The force of the blast however, caused the ice from the floor to burst into shards and dust that obscured her view. She accidentally breathed in a mouthful of the dirty air, causing her to choke and cough as she struggled to regain her bearings. Her mentally chided herself for letting her guard down and slipped back into battle stance, her weapon at the ready for any attack that would follow. A few moments passed and when the dust cleared away, the Shinigami cursed at her carelessness resulting in the absence of her opponent and the boy. She took off in an instance, pursuing the two who had a good few minutes headstart.

Rukia found the man minutes later, following the trail of reiatsu that was so faint she almost missed it. The orange-haired youth lay sprawled on the floor, blood pooling from his wounds and unconscious, the subtle energy of a portal being opened lingered near his body.

The teal-haired child was nowhere in sight.

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AN: Thanks for all the reviews you guys gave me. You're the reason there is a chapter 2. I'm glad that people are interested in this fic. I will answer the questions you've posed in the fic itself because just telling wouldn't be fun right? Hope you guys keep reading. Enjoy.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer : Not Mine.

Warnings: perhaps spoilers for the Hueco Mundo Arc, yaoi/BL, GrimmIchi, implied MPREG

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Deafening sounds of battle were reverberating all around the palace of Las Noches. The captains of Gotei 13 faced off with the Espada, each of them emerging victorious in their respective fights despite obtaining heavy injuries. The Espada were no pushovers, marked by Aizen, they were the strongest of the Arrancars and the Shinigami had won by only a thin line.

Aizen Sousuke cursed as he felt the reiatsu of his Arrancars vanished one by one. It had taken a lot of time and effort to assemble the Vasto Lorde. Now that they are being destroyed, his plan would be held back for an unmeasured amount of time. The power of the Arrancars had been essential to create a copy of the King's Key. He had figured that to completely overpower the Shinigami in a battle for Karakura Town, he would need more than the number of Arrancar he had in his service those 5 years ago. In addition, the method to create the key was complicated and required various preparation which Aizen was not risking any mistakes. That was why he waited and bided his time. To keep the Shinigami distracted and busy over the years, he had sent a few Espada to Earth from time to time to wreak havoc and create disorder.

The time he had turned out to be a miscalculation on his part. Yamamoto Genryuusai, Chief-Commander of the Gotei 13 himself stood before him as he felt the reiatsu of his two closest allies fade away. Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname had fallen and Aizen knew the gods weren't on his side today. Not that he really believed in gods.

Yamamoto, the old Shinigami transformed the staff at his side into his Zanpakuto, immediately signaling the start of their fight. His aged body filled with scars is often misleading to the average person, but Aizen knew not to underestimate his opponent. The old man wasn't the commander for nothing. His eyes twitched as he felt two more strong reiatsu before the captains of the 8th and 13th Divisions, Kyouraku and Ukitake emerged to join their former teacher. The end of the line suddenly seemed near. Aizen was a practical man and he knew that his chances of getting out of this one was slim. A telltale smirk crossed his lips and he drew out Kyouka Suigetsu. If he should fall today, the Shinigami would have something new to worry about.

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Yuki was very worried. They had been on the run without stopping and his mama was breathing really hard. The white interiors were all a blur and the sounds of footsteps echoed off the empty hallways loudly in his ears as he was carried in the his mama's arms. The initial speed when they escaped from the battle was dropping rapidly and the heavy scent of blood was in the air, doubling his concern by the minute. His teeth gnawed at his lips, a habit that he had whenever he was feeling anxious, as looked at his mama, a dull crimson matting his usually bright orange hair.

"Mama." He said in a timid voice, the palm of his small hands gripping the bleached white material of the standard Arrancar uniform. Ichigo never really encouraged Yuki to call him mama. He had complained that it was for girls like Aunt Nel or Aunt Hali and had tried to teach Yuki to call him 'dad'. Even then, 'mama' had stuck, much to the amusement of his father. The young boy gripped the cloth in his hands tighter as the thought of his father flashed through his mind. He should have been here. Where was he when his mama needed him? He was often away, leaving now and then for as long as Yuki can remember. And when he did return, he would steal his mama away at times like he did last night.

"It's gonna be okay, Yuki." Ichigo reassured his son even as he felt his strength fading rapidly. He had spent too much of his energy in that fight with that Shinigami. He knew he had to think of something fast before the woman caught up with them. The Cero he had fired would only delay her for so long. Ichigo slowed down his pace and came to a standstill as he made his decision. Lowering his precious bundle to the floor for Yuki to stand, he focused on summoning whatever remained of his spiritual power into a slightly modified Garganta spell. Instead of creating the usual pathway to the Earth's dimension, it would send the boy directly to it without him having to face any potential dangers of the passage. The only catch was that a specific place needed to be pictured as the desired destination. Ichigo knelt in front of his son slowly as a mass of black energy began to pool between his hands.

"Don't be afraid Yuki. Your father will find you." With that he pressed the dark matter against his son's chest and prayed to whatever god who was listening that Yuki would be safe at the place that had randomly flashed through his mind. Long enough until his father tracked him down. As the black energy dissipated, he felt his body shut down in exhaustion, no longer able to keep up with him. Ichigo collapsed onto the cold hard floor, feeling his blood draining out from him as he teetered between consciousness.

"You'd better find him Grimmjow or I'll kill you." He said as if the Espada could hear him and the world faded into black.

It was then when the dark haired Shinigami found him. Rukia looked around for the child who was with the orange-haired youth but he was nowhere to be found. She could not sense any of the boy's reiatsu at all and suspected that the energy she had felt earlier was the cause for that. Approaching the unconscious man on the floor, she unsheathed Sode no Shirayuki and brought it up wanting to finish the job. The blade hung in the air for longer than she wished as her hands trembled. Looking at the person on the floor now, he looked too much like Ichigo for her to bring the sword down and give the final blow. It reminded her of the time five years ago when she was faced with a similar situation.

The Shinigami began to think she was cursed. First Kaien, then Ichigo. Why did fate always put her in situations where she had to harm her treasured people? Five years ago, they had infected Ichigo with a demon-one of Aizen's twisted experiments-and again Rukia was forced to cut him down like she did with her ex-liutenant. They didn't even have the chance to retrieve his body as more of the enemy's reinforcements arrived, forcing them to retreat and eventually escape through a portal that her brother Byakuya had ordered to be constructed without approval from the head commander. It had killed her inside and overwhelmed her with guilt.

"Stop!" came a cry that broke her out of her reverie. Rukia turned around in an instant at the sound of the voice and brought her sword to deflect the one that had aimed at her head. She was taken aback however by the sight that met her eyes. The features were familiar. Emerald green hair, similarly green eyes and a thin reddish streak across the face. Who she remembered as a child Arrancar with the broken mask of a skull on her head named Nel, stood an adult version of her, complete with the uniform of the Espada and a Zanpakuto in her hands.

"Nel?" Rukia asked cautiously. The child Arrancar had been attached to Ichigo when she first met her and she figured then that she was not a threat. The woman in front of her looked shocked at being called and it took her a while before the light of recognition reached her eyes.

"You! You're the Shinigami who was with Ichigo!" The Arrancar exclaimed as she lowered her blade.

"Rukia." She said to remind the green haired woman who proceeded to rush past her and kneel beside the unconscious body.

"Quick, what are you standing around for? Ichigo's hurt real bad." Nel demanded, her eyes inspecting the various wounds inflicted on the man. His vitals were fading. She tore up the cloth of her uniform and began to bandage whatever injuries she could.

"What do you mean? Ichigo is dead. That thing there is not Ichigo." Rukia retaliated.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The Arrancar sounded irritated bordering on anger. Rukia did not like where this conversation was heading. A tiny feeling of horror crept up on her as the slight possibility that had not seemed possible before made itself known. It just wasn't possible. If it was, Rukia would have made the worst possible mistake in her life.

"I-It's not possible." She stuttered in reply, not utterly convinced herself."Ichigo died five years ago. This person is can't be Ichigo. I would have recognized his reiatsu."

"Damn it!" Nel cursed. "Ichigo was altered five years ago when he nearly died. His reiatsu is being held under a seal." She explained in a rush. The Shinigami still looked like she had some doubts causing Nel to exclaim in exasperation,

"I wouldn't care that much if it was any other bastard lying on the floor bleeding to death!"

That prompted the dark-haired woman to move to help. However before she could do anything, they were suddenly surrounded by a dozen or more Shinigami, all weapons at the ready to attack. Rukia passed a glance at the two behind her back and though she was not completely convinced, she did not want to ignore the possibility. Calling out her name and division, she requested the aid of the fourth division and stated the alliance of the female Arrancar. A few of the present Shinigami recognized the Kuchiki name, muttered their understanding of the situation and went off to fulfill her request. It was one of those rare times that Rukia was grateful for the prominence of the clan she was adopted into.

Two members of the fourth division arrived and immediately set to work without even questioning the reason they were helping out an enemy. Such was in their nature to heal. Nel stepped back to let the Shinigami do their work, her worried eyes not leaving the man as they hurried to stitch up the open wounds. Even when one of the Shinigami who went to fetch the healers returned with the report that Aizen had fallen, the Arrancar did not even blink. It was to Rukia, a testament of where Nel's loyalty truly lies.

The dark-haired Shinigami allowed herself a tiny sigh of relief. The fall of Aizen meant that the war was over. They had won and things would go back to the way it should be.

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A black orb manifested itself in the air and grew large pulsing with energy. When it reached its apex, a young boy was spit out and rolled to a stop on the asphalt road. The culmination of his experience and impact of the rough ride knocked him out cold and he lay there unmoving. The nightly breeze played with his teal-coloured hair carrying with it a few loose strands as it passed.

"Dad! There's some kid unconscious in front of our clinic!" Came a girlish shout of alarm.

There was a scramble of urgency when the girl's twin and her father rushed towards her cry of surprise. As they hurried the young boy within, eager to save him from the cold of the night outside, the scent of the swift wind has already reached the senses of a similarly teal-haired man.

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Note Note:

Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews!! Keep the questions coming, they help to keep me stimulated and consider some things that I might have missed. If I had comments about the pace of this fic: Is it too fast or slow? it would be awesome. As well as warnings if you think the characters are going OOC(if they aren't already). I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter! Um I might update them a little late from next week onwards due to my degree project coming to hog all my time. But I hope you'll keep reading. Cya.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer : Not Mine.

Warnings: perhaps spoilers for the Hueco Mundo Arc, yaoi/BL, GrimmIchi, implied MPREG

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Soft morning sunlight shone through the window of the relatively small blue room which accommodated two small hospital beds shielded by curtains that hung from the ceiling to the floor. On one of the beds lay a young boy, his brows furrowed due to restlessness in his sleep. A small gasp would sound now and then, as if a nightmare was plaguing his mind.

Kurosaki Isshin brushed the teal strands of hair of the boy slowly to make way for the ear thermometer he needed to use to check his temperature. The child had developed a slight fever when they found him collapsed outside the clinic. Karin had been the one to check out the noise that sounded in front of their home. The neighbourhood they lived in was a quiet one, not many venture out when it became dark. Thus it had been strange. For a moment, Isshin had thought it was Ichigo, sneaking home, perhaps after having a fight with his girlfriend and running back with his tail between his legs.

The slight beep of the thermometer sounded and the small-time medical doctor read the results shown on the clear screen of the device. He mentally sighed with relief when he saw that the boy's temperature had gone back to normal. As the child continued to toss around in his sleep, Isshin brought the palm of his hand to the boy's forehead and released a bit of his reiatsu hoping to calm him down. His actions proved to be comforting enough and as the child drifted to a more relaxed slumber, he studied the boy who had seemed slightly familiar to him. In fact, Isshin could feel the boy having reiatsu which almost had a hint of his son's own reiatsu. It was puzzling.

Isshin removed his hand from the child and went to sit in the visitor chair beside the bed to contemplate his thoughts. He had almost forgotten how Ichigo's reiatsu had originally felt like. It had been almost five years since he died in that faraway place, his soul lost without a trace. Isshin had been filled with grief then but he had no reason to deny a certain artifical soul his son's body, which would have been empty and deteriorate anyway. Thus Kon inherited Ichigo's form and Isshin thought it was the right choice. The girls would not lose their brother entirely. He would bear the brunt of the loss alone for all of them.

It had not been very smooth at first. Kon, though he tried to fill in the hole left by Ichigo, was who he was. He was a different person from Ichigo and he acted differently. Karin knew Ichigo was not the same and had been depressed for weeks. Even Yuzu felt something was amiss with their brother though Karin never told her so. Nevertheless, Kon did inherit Ichigo's will to look after his sisters and slowly he grew on the family in his own way. Isshin referred to him as 'Ichigo' now even in his mind. And Ichigo was doing fine. He got into one of the colleges nearby the family home after graduating from school and even brought back a girlfriend the week before, earning countless teases from his sisters and of course from Isshin himself.

"Mama?"

The soft call from the child signaled the end of his musings as he stood up and approached the boy. The child was sitting up on the bed and looking around the room as if searching for something. Most probably his mother, Isshin deduced. When the boy settled his gaze on him, the doctor found those golden eyes strangely familiar. The features were almost a replica of Ichigo's eyes. Isshin could not believe that he did not recognise the frown which he saw earlier and that was now coming back to place when the boy realised that his mother was nowhere to be found.

"Who are you, Oji-san?" The boy asked, curiosity apparent in his voice. Looking around again, he added "Where is Mama?"

Shaking his mind off the nostalgia he felt, he exclaimed loudly earning a look of surprise from the teal haired child.

"Oji-san's name is Isshin! Kurosaki Isshin!" The doctor explained his left arm in the air as if announcing his name to the world. The boy seemed to tense up at his sudden outburst clutching the blanket that was covering him closer as if to hide from the strange man. Seeing the boy's reaction, he added "No need to fear child! Jump into my arms and I'll give you a hug an--"

The man was midway through his flashy proclamation when a kick to his head sent bouncing onto the floor. Yuki felt his eyes grow wide when he saw a dark haired girl who seemed just a few years older than him, with her arms crossed in the place of where the man was earlier. Another girl with light brown hair stood behind her, peering over her shoulder.

"Ow! That's so meeean Karin! Daddy was just trying to comfort the poor boy!" The man in the white clothes whined to the girl from the floor.

"You're scaring the kid, Dad." She said dryly.

By that time, Yuki was edging his way to a corner of his bed. The girl sighed at the man on the floor and turned to face Yuki with a friendly smile on her face. The other girl moved up to stand beside her.

"My name is Karin. Don't worry about that idiot there." Karin said nodding her head towards her father, trying to reassure the boy.

"And my name is Yuzu." Her sister added and asked "What's your name?"

"It's Yuki." He said slowly. The teal-haired boy started to play his fingers around the blanket, feeling a little nervous with all the new faces around him.

"Ah Yuki-kun is it? That's a pretty name." Yuzu replied with a smile. The boy's expression brightened at the simple praise.

"It's written with Yuuitsu's 'Yu' and kiseki's 'ki'. Mama gave me that name." Yuki said proudly.

"That's cool." Karin commented.

'One and only miracle, huh?' Isshin murmured to himself in his mind, pondering the meaning of the boy's name. He stood up and walked towards his daughters and the boy on the bed. Karin and Yuzu were getting along well with Yuki, making normal conversation about their favourites and what not. Yuki was easing up to them rather quickly. Then Yuzu asked a question that would have been innocent enough if not for the answer that came afterwards.

"What's your Mama like?" She had asked the boy. Isshin's heart skipped a beat when he heard the child reply without hesitation,

"Mama's the best! He has orange hair and his name is Ichigo!"

For a moment there was complete silence and Yuki did not know why. The man had frozen in his footsteps while the two sisters he was talking to looked at him in disbelief. Yuki opened his mouth to ask them what was wrong but before the words could leave his lips, he felt the room blurred as a massive reiatsu let itself be known.

The moment the heavy reiatsu rained down on the house and broke the barrier that he had set up, Isshin rushed to the children's side, his body slipping easily into a battle stance to face the intruder. As he readied the badge which he had carried around with him since he regained his Shinigami powers, he almost missed the slightest of murmur from the teal-haired boy.

"Father."

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Grimmjow Jeagerjaques was not happy. He had been running around all night looking for his son. His son who, judging from the slight reiatsu he had felt, was alone here in the human world. Whether this was the latest prank from the little brat or something had happened in Hueco Mundo he did not know. However, he had a bad feeling about it and it was making him very agitated.

It had just been that morning when he left Hueco Mundo on an assignment from Aizen. It was the second time he had gone to that cave just on the outskirts of Karakura Town. Aizen had been sending Espada there every month on a routine checkup on the project he had been working on. Personally Grimmjow preferred missions that involved badgering the human souls in town and subsequently the Shinigami that are sent to deal with him. On occasion a Shinigami captain would be sent and it would sate the Espada's appetite for battle just enough to last till the next assignment.

He was on his last patrol of the town when the reiatsu of his son suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The scent he was no stranger to passed by him moments later, carried by the harsh cold wind of the night. Immediately, his senses peaked in alarm at that and he dropped down from his perch on one of those tall telephone poles and raced towards the direction of Yuki's reiatsu. However, mere moments after, he felt the reiatsu seemingly disappear. The Espada let out a loud curse. There must have been a barrier somewhere that blocked his senses from detecting him for a child like Yuki could not have the power to teleport himself.

That was why it took him the whole night to locate the boy. With the loss of the reiatsu as a guide, Grimmjow had to rely on another sense to track him which was his son's scent. It had not been very reliable and often than not, he had found himself in an unknown corner of town. But then again, Ichigo had always commented on his poor sense of direction of which he strongly denied. He knew where he was going damn it. It was with a feeling of urgency as he searched for his son, eager to retrieve him and go back to Hueco Mundo, to Ichigo with his child as soon as possible.

As the morning sun finally rose, Grimmjow finally reached his destination, pausing just long enough to read the description of the building before him. His eyes widened at the sign that displayed 'Kurosaki Clinic', recognizing the last name of his mate. It added to his suspicion that Ichigo had been the one who sent their son here despite having supposedly no memory of his former life. This moved him to act quicker, knowing the possiblity of something gone wrong back home was getting higher by the minute. Feeling the barrier that had been set up around the house, Grimmjow released the reiatsu that he had been suppressing during his mission so as not to attract attention. The barrier soon gave way and he followed Yuki's reiatsu to a small blue room.

As soon as he entered the room, the Espada was met with the sight of a man, presumably in a doctor's uniform, and two girls huddled behind him. His son was also covered by the length of the man's arm in front of him. Yuki seemed well and relatively unhurt, causing Grimmjow to let out the breath he didn't realise he was holding in. The boy looked at him tensely for a moment and then he averted his gaze down onto the bedsheets, as if he was ashamed.

"Brat. Come on, we're going home." The Espada tsked in annoyance.

Grimmjow likened his true nature to that of a panther. And in the wild, panther fathers never truly bring up their cubs. Perhaps it was a reason why he was not very close with his son. Ichigo instead had a natural talent with children of which he had observed in the past as well as with Yuki and Grimmjow was content to leave it that way. Yuki seemed content with the arrangement as well, preferring to stick to his mama like glue. The brat has the gall to even hog up his private time with Ichigo.

But Grimmjow does protect what is his and anyone who dared to touch his child would have to be prepared to die.

"Yes father." The boy replied and moved to get up from the bed. His answer however seemed to cause confusion to the man in front of him.

"Wait." The doctor called out.

"Move and you will regret it." Grimmjow said, the silent threat hung in the air thickly as he held a palm that could easily produce a Cero, aiming towards the doctor.

And all Isshin could do was watch, not willing to risk a battle with two of his daughters in the same room. The Espada seemed to be in a hurry as well for as soon as the boy reached the similarly blue-haired man, a large grey void opened behind them and then they were gone.

--

"Rukia! Hey wake up!"

There was ridiculously loud banging on her door early in the morning and she begrudgingly walked up to open it. The short glance of the fiery red hair told her it was no-good Renji seeking a way to annoy her again as she stepped back and headed towards her bed, eager to continue to sleep her tiredness away. His next words however woke her up immediately,

"Hanatarou told me that Ichigo is already awake. Captain Uohana has requested your help with him."

With that, Rukia needed no further prompt as she raced to dress herself and headed towards the 4th Division Headquartes as fast as she could. For the first time in five years she would be able to truly face her friend and perhaps, maybe ask him for forgiveness.

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Yay! Another chapter done. I think Japanese names(Yuki) aren't made like that but well I wanted it that way, so there lol. Grimmjow and Yuki fighting over Ichigo (laughs) Oh well. Thanks a million again for your reviews and comments. Hope you aren't bored yet. You get Grimmjow this chap. There's still more to come. GrimmIchi-ness next chap I think. Till next week then. Cya.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer : Not Mine.

Warnings: perhaps spoilers for the Hueco Mundo Arc, yaoi/BL, GrimmIchi, implied MPREG

Warning 2: This chapter rates M.

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The whole of Soul Society was abuzz. Murmurs were passed from one to another. News of Aizen's downfall spread like wildfire and it was not long before every man, woman and child had heard about it. The siege on Las Noches had been marginally successful, both sides sustaining reasonably heavy damage. It would take a lot of time for their forces to recover but the majority of the Espada were wiped out, including the two ex-shinigami captains Ichimaru and Tousen. The mastermind of it all, Aizen Sousuke was apprehended, his Zanpakutou destroyed, and now awaited a public execution by the Soukyoku, the fully revived massive halberd that he had plotted to use five years ago to extract the Hogyouku from Kuchiki Rukia's soul. There would be no trouble from Hueco Mundo anytime soon and the whole world could to take a breath of relief until the next big disaster of the century.

Nonetheless, the current affairs were furthest away from her thoughts as Rukia walked down the dirt trodden path that lead to the main building of the 4th Division. The dark-haired Shinigami's heart beat in a mixture of dread and anticipation. It was like when she was waiting for her academy final exam results years ago, only this time it was many times worse. If that person was really Ichigo then it would mean the world to Rukia to have her friend back even if she owed him a very serious apology. However it also brought up questions that she was not sure she would like the answers to. If the higher ups found out about her fight, they would question Ichigo's motives for remaining so long in the Hollow realm, question where his loyalties lie. The new Central 46 members were the same as their predecessors, the suspicious old goats.

As she approached the 4th Division headquarters, Rukia paused to see an attendant waiting at the entrance. She recognized him as Yamada Hanatarou, one of the Shinigami who helped her during the incident with the Hogyouku. Although timid and nervous most of the time, Rukia knew that inside him lies a kind and strong heart.

"Rukia-san, this way please." The young Shinigami said politely and lead her into the building. "Captain Uohana is expecting you."

Rukia nodded and followed him through the hallways of the building that functions like a hospital as well. A small relief that the walls weren't white like one, passed through her briefly because she had seen enough white walls to last her a lifetime. They passed by a few rooms that looked like recovery wards and Hanatarou waved greetings to a few of the Shinigami along the way. Finally, they reached the end of a corridor where he proceeded to knock softly on the wooden door. A few moments later, a gentle voice beckoned them to enter.

Captain Uohana Retsu was in her seat behind a clean and organized desk. Two potted greenery graced the floor of the office on either side of her, giving the room a comfortable ambience. She smiled at her two guests and offered them the two seats in front of her. The young woman took her seat graciously, looking about to burst into questions immediately if not for the fact that doing so would be disrespectful. Her 7th seat officer closed the door behind him and proceeded to join them at her desk, fidgeting nervously in his chair. She gave him a reassuring smile before opening the folder she had prepared on a particular patient that was the subject of today's discussion.

"Kuchiki-san. According to the report here, you found Kurosaki Ichigo heavily wounded in Las Noches when you were scouting the interiors of the enemy palace. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Rukia answered biting her lip. She had not reported her fight with Ichigo for fear that people might question why she had attacked him in the first place. It would a look a lot like he had been on the enemy's side. With the possibility that it could be really Ichigo, Rukia would like to keep the amount of suspicion against him as little as possible. The white uniform he had been wearing was condemning enough.

"Well, Kurosaki-san has suffered several wounds from a blade weapon and ice-elemental attacks. Whatever reasons you have for not reporting your possible involvement in that, I will hold my suspicions for now." The Shinigami captain told her causing Rukia to blush furiously in embarrassment. Of course, the physician would be able to find out. However, she could not hold off the pressing question any longer.

"Captain Uohana. Is that person really Ichigo? Have you checked if he's a copy or something else?"

The elder woman paused as she looked over her findings that she had noted down on the medical form on her desk. She had heard the news of Kurosaki's death during the rescue of Inoue Orihime. Uohana could not blame the younger Shinigami for her doubts.

"Yes indeed. I have run some tests on him to make sure myself. The boy really is Kurosaki Ichigo."

At her confirmation, the Shinigami captain could see the young woman worried face break into a large smile, her eyes misting over as she covered her mouth in an effort not to shout out in happiness. Which was why she felt a bit guilty about continuing on.

"However, there are certain things that you must know."

Rukia paused in her excitement at the captain's pensive tone. She straightened her composure and tried to ignore the nagging voice behind her mind saying 'There's usually a catch to every good news.' Uohana went on to explain.

"We found an restraining seal on his back. From the lingering signature, I've concluded that there is a high possibility that Aizen is the one who had cast it on him. We have tried to remove it but it seems only the caster himself can do so. However with Aizen's execution coming along soon, it should be lifted with his death. Currently, the seal suppresses Kurosaki-san's reiatsu to the point that it exudes only a small percentage of what he usually has. A tool that can be used to control the boy."

The Shinigami captain paused as if deep in thought before continuing. "The boy's reiatsu is also another oddity. It does not feel like one a Shinigami would have felt like. I've only experienced it a handful of times, the aura of a demon."

That gave Rukia's memory a jolt bringing her back to the time when Ichigo had been possessed. She filed the information to the back of her mind for later consideration, wondering if it was the reason for Ichigo's behaviour. That time, he had not recognized her and even attacked her without restraint. She would have to find out from Ichigo himself.

"How is he now? I heard that he has woken up." Rukia asked following her train of thought.

Instead of proceeding, the elder woman turned towards the Shinigami sitting beside her. He had just been quietly listening to the conversation, so much so that Rukia almost forgot about his presence in the room.

"Hanatarou-kun has been helping me throughout the process of healing Kurosaki-san and also examining his wounds."

Hanatarou startled by the sudden inclusion into their conversation, gave a little cough to clear his throat. When his captain gave him a nod to continue, he began to report,

"U-um, we managed to heal most of his wounds but we found two older injuries that were not the same with his current ones. There is a bite wound that seemed to be freshly healing by the long scar on his neck. The other one runs across his lower abdomen. We did a full body scan to check up on his usual health. Ichigo-san is relatively healthy, no sickness or anything. Also upon further examination we um, uh-"

Rukia looked at Hanatarou strangely as he turned beet red and turned to his captain for help. The elder Shinigami gave an amused smile and graciously helped out her subordinate.

"We found signs of recent sexual activity."

With that it was Rukia's turn to flush crimson. She did not need to know that.

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He felt his body shiver against the usually cool touch of the night that is common in their white world. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face as he kept his head down, his damp orange tresses moving in time with the swings against his body. Ichigo involuntarily let out a moan as he felt his mate's fingers brush across his sensitive skin, roaming everywhere across the span of his chest, down the sides of his slender body, and teasingly over his thighs. His lover's mouth latched possessively at the nape of his neck, licking the particular spot where Ichigo's mark was, making him tremble. It was a bite-like scar, two jagged lines tinted pink running beneath his skin from the base of his neck to a little bit above his neckline. To others might seem like a serious injury but it was symbol that he had been claimed, that he belonged to his mate only.

"G-Grimm..." He panted out as he felt his partner's thrusts began to speed up. Ichigo heard a grunt in response behind him as he felt his legs spread even wider and his hips raised higher. He gasped at the sensations assaulting his body, feeling himself getting really flushed; heat radiating off the body above him in waves as he struggled to keep up with the pace. In the midst of the intense rocking, came the feeling of a gentle hand brushing his damp locks and he savored this contrasting yet simple pleasure. Grimmjow was a very passionate lover who usually enjoys their sessions to be a bit on the wild side due to his animalistic nature. However he would always add a touch of tenderness that's unlike him and while Ichigo takes pleasure in sex being rough as well, he particularly revels in these moments.

The hand which was playing with his hair moved down to entwine with his own which had been fisting the sheet of their bed. Ichigo was moaning almost constantly now, feeling his lover going deeper and deeper inside of him. He felt teeth grazing his skin, nibbling gently at the mark on his neck and he prepared himself for what is to come. His mouth opened in a silent scream as those teeth bit down harshly, the pain sending adrenaline rushing through his body. It was a ritual that was repeated since the first time that he had been claimed, reminding him who he belonged to. The mixture of pain and pleasure were finally no longer bearable and Ichigo came, shouting out his mate's name. He shuddered, riding the waves of his orgasm while Grimmjow continued to slam into him until he finally stilled, deeply seated inside him. Ichigo gasped softly as he felt the pooling heat that was released into his body and collapsed into a heap onto the bed.

Ichigo's eyes shot wide awake and it took him a moment to slip out of the dream he just had of the morning before. He cursed. He had hoped against hope that the day before had been just a nightmare but seeing the thick metal bars before his eyes confirmed that it had been real. Ichigo sat up and looked around in his cage, a prison unit with the futon he had been sleeping on the floor and pretty much nothing else. He remembered waking up hours before but feeling exhausted, he had fallen back to sleep. A dull pain on his side reminded him of the injuries he had gotten from the dark-haired Shinigami he fought with. Looking down he was mildly surprised to see bandages wrapped around his worser injuries while the minor ones were already healed. His Arrancar uniform was gone, replaced by a simple white yukata. The presence of the metal cuffs on his restrained wrists however reminded him that he was far from being treated as a guest.

Ichigo sighed deeply as he lay back down on the thin bedding, his thoughts returning to the hazy dream he just had. He genuinely hoped his mate and son were alright. There was a tiny fear that they were captured as well, locked away in another prison cell or worse killed but Ichigo reminded himself to trust that Grimmjow would keep himself and their son safe from harm. Sensing the bond he had with his mate reassured him a little as well.

Testing the physical bonds on his hands, he knew it would be a challenge for him to escape wherever he was now. However, Ichigo would find a way. He wasn't the type to just do nothing and wait to be rescued. As long as his wounds healed up better, he would break free from this joint and go back home. The rough sound of approaching footsteps broke him out of his reverie as his ears caught the ends of the conversation between two people.

"Are you sure you don't want to head up to Soukyoku Hill to witness the execution? Ichigo-san can wait a few more hours." asked a nervous male voice.

The answer came as the two appeared at the opening of the corridor that led to his confined space and Ichigo recognized her voice before he saw her.

"I'm sure Hanatarou. I don't care about Aizen anymore." Rukia answered firmly. What she cared about was the man in front of her.

Hanatarou nodded and left, leaving the dark haired Shinigami alone to catch up with her friend.

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It could be said that it was a major event in Soul Society's history. For the first time Seireitei was open to everyone, even those from Rukongai were allowed in to witness it. The captains and their vices gathered at the inner circle as the chief commander Genryuusai read the sentence assigned to the criminal. The crowd looked on in awe as the big halberd transformed into a gigantic phoenix, its magnificent burning plumes shining as it reared its head to ready itself for the fatal strike. The ex-captain Aizen Sousuke hung at the scaffold, his arms outstretched and his eyes reflecting the radiant glow of what would be his death. The golden bird gave a shrill cry as it swooped down in lightning speed and hit its mark.

As the whole of Soul Society cheered at the sight of the traitorous soul disintegrating into thin air, they did not hear the anguished cry of a man who would wake up the morning after as if for the first time in five years, nor did they hear the loud crack the reverberated through the walls of a dark cave that would signal the beginning of the end.

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AN: *Blushes madly* My first lemon. My fingers are no longer virgins hahaha. So sorry for the late update. I hope this slightly longer chapter makes up for it. Also I won't be updating for the next two weeks because my final weeks are here! Nuoooo!! Goodbye sleep.

To make up for my absence I will hold a sort of 'contest' for you guys. Tell me a scene you would like to see of GrimmIchiYuki together. The title is : A Day in Their Lives. The person whose idea most appeals to me will get a fanfic written of their proposed scene dedicated to them.

So you will get 2 fics the next time I update! Won't that be cool? *laughs nervously* I'll do my best. Gambarimasu! See u.


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